Tag Archives: cherry tomatoes

I feel a bit awkward writing this post since it’s been a good four months since I’ve written anything! Let’s just say a haitus was necessary. Between caring for my mom and step-father and writing two genealogy blogs a day, I felt the need to release some of my responsibilities for a bit. Ritchey has been able to eat as soon as dinner was ready – I haven’t even been photographing my food! But tonight I felt it was time to return – not an every day post as before – but as an occasional blogger, when there’s something special to share.

Another reason for tonight’s reappearance is a new blog – Food, Flowers, Herbs and Life – The Next Generation! Yes, my daughter Kate has a new blog. She has taken up the pen, the skillet and the camera – and brings the world her way of cooking and living life! We’ve very different in many ways, but deep down we’re very much alike – as it should be!

Tonight’s supper was a throw together twenty minutes before Ritchey got home. But I’ve come to love those last minute, throw something in the skillet meals! This was a basic pasta dish, with some good things sauteed in the skillet while the pasta was cooking. Paired with a great wine, it was all we needed for a great meal! That’s all you can ask for!

1 pound sausage

2 handfuls pine nuts

1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 pound tiny, fresh green beans

1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

1/8 pound Parmigiano Reggiano, cut into small cubes

oregano

1/2 pound medium pasta shells, cooked according to package directions

In a large skillet brown the sausage, cutting it into small pieces. Put the water on for the pasta while the sausage is cooking. When the sausage is starting to brown add the onions and pine nuts. Add the green beans and cook for about five minutes – or until crisp-tender. Remove the skillet from the stove. Add the tomatoes and Parmigiano Reggiano and stir well. Add cooked pasta. Sprinkle with oregano. Enjoy!

September 1st

This is the last of the zucchini – I used half for my Squash and Zucchini Casserole and half I sliced and froze. The yellow pear tomatoes also found their way into bags and headed for the freezer! A few things are safely put away for the winter months – to be brought out and enjoyed as a remembrance of summer’s goodness.

Our tomatoes are still producing – especially the yellow and red cherries. They are abundant and show no signs of stopping at this point.

These are volunteer plants. They grow along this fence, at the back of the house and on the other side of the house – oh, and one lonely plant in with the oregano – Ritchey thought he pulled them all from that bed – but he missed one! It looks as if you have two colors of tomatoes growing on one vine, but the plants are so inter-mingled it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins! I made cole slaw to take to Kate’s tonight and I used halved red and yellow cherries. She was always my taste tester for cole slaw when at home – it’s hard to say it’s ‘just right’ until she proclaims it so!

Our yellow pear tomatoes – different from the yellow cherries – are almost gone. The vines are dried – there will be no more fruit produced. Once we pick the few that are left those plants will be pulled. It’s been 22 days since we’ve had rain. Last night it started with a good thunderstorm – and it continued to rain throughout the night – slowly and gently. Much better for allowing the rain to actually soak in and nourish the plants!

There are many large tomatoes still on the vines – green – but hopefully they will ripen. If not, there’s always fried green tomatoes! Or chow-chow!

But perhaps we will have more like this . . .

And with that make this – a lovely hamburger made from beef from Donna and Jerry, melted mozzarella, a slice of red onion, a thick slice of fresh tomato and topped with avocado slices! And a little mayo – my choice of condiment! But for your burger you can choose your favorite!

Note by Phyllis Brown: This is a very simple salad that has lots of taste! You can mix up the ingredients according to what you have on hand. If I have large tomatoes I will cut off the top, core and spoon out the inside of the tomato, leaving the shell. I cut up the removed flesh of the tomato and use in addition to a few cherry tomatoes. The tomato shell makes a pretty container for your salad. This is especially nice when serving company and each guest has their own filled tomato.

I happen to love cottage cheese. My maternal grandmother, Alice Montgomery Carrico, made her cottage cheese from the milk that was brought in from the cows each morning. The milk was allowed to sit in crocks until the cream rose to the top. This my grandmother skimmed off with a large spoon and later churned into butter. The crock with milk was covered with a cloth. After the milk clabbered, the excess water was drained off. Grandmother then seasoned her cottage cheese with salt and pepper – and many times added tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. Whether the cottage cheese was plain or dressed up, mom said it was the best she’s ever had.

Grandmother would be amazed at the utensils and appliances we have today. She didn’t have a mixer or food processor. I doubt she owned a cookbook. She cooked on a wood stove until her children were grown, and had an icebox instead of a refrigerator – at least until they sold the farm and moved to town. But yet she was the best cook I’ve ever known – it was in her genes. Grandmother is a hard act to follow – but I will try!

Cottage Cheese Salad

10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved if large

1/8 large red onion, finely chopped

1/2 small cucumber, quartered and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh snipped chives

2 large spoons of cottage cheese

salt

pepper

Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir well. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Enjoy!

Note by Phyllis Brown: Cherry Tomato Bruschetta is one of the easiest recipes to make – but also one of the tastiest! We have tiny cherry tomatoes that are about the size of the tip of my pinky! They are sweet and juicy and delicious! This is an heirloom variety we bought at the Locust Grove Garden Show several years ago. Those two plants produced their tiny tomatoes all summer! And to our surprise, we find them coming back every year! There are so many plants that Ritchey has to pull them up – give away as many as he can – and throw away the rest! We always have fresh basil in the garden – a must for this recipe! After you have toasted your ciabatta slices, rubbing them with the cut side of the garlic produces the most delicious aromas – and tastes when you finally get to take that first bite!

Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

8 ounces of cherry tomatoes

extra virgin olive oil

8-10 basil leaves, torn into small pieces

6 slices ciabatta

salt

pepper

1 clove garlic, cut in half lengthwise

Using a sharp knife, cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Place them in a small bowl. Add a good drizzle of olive oil and the basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Preheat boiler, then lightly toast both sides of the ciabatta. Rub the garlic, cut-side down, over both sides of the toasted bread. Top with the tomato mixture and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Ritchey and Phyllis Brown

I live to cook! My husband loves to eat! We make a great pair! We enjoy growing tomatoes, herbs and flowers in our back yard. Tearooms are a favorite of ours - well, almost any restaurant will do - as long as the food is good! We are passionate about history and visiting 'where it happened'. Truly we enjoy life! Life together!

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